Global Public Health Careers

“Public health improves our quality of life, helps children thrive, reduces human suffering, and saves money. Every day, the public health field is working – often behind the scenes – to prevent hazards and keep people healthy. For example, public health is responsible for: tracking disease outbreaks and vaccinating communities to avoid the spread of disease, setting safety standards to protect workers, developing school nutrition programs to ensure kids have access to healthy food, advocating for laws to keep people safe, including smoke-free indoor air and seatbelts, working to prevent gun violence, addressing the impact of climate change on our health, and declaring racism as a public health crisis.” Read more and watch short videos from the American Public Health Association.

“Global health is the study of worldwide health and wellness. The concept of global health also covers how the health of different populations can have a global impact. Global health careers are primarily concerned with addressing the health concerns of low-income countries and populations, focusing on addressing specific health inequalities. For example, global health asks why some populations have access to good medical care while others do not, or why some have good nutrition and others do now. As you may have guessed, the concept of global health can get very complex, and global health covers a lot of topics. Those topics include diseases such as malaria and HIV/AIDS. They also include other health topics like nutrition, maternal and child health, domestic violence prevention, and more.” Read more about careers in global health and how this field differs from public health at MPHOnline.

Read trade magazines, newsletters, and popular websites in your industry area. Places to start include Global Health Now, Public Health Newswire, and Center for Strategic and International Studies. Subscribe to blogs and newsletters (such as Association of State and Territorial Health Officials), follow industry insiders via social media; and research the types of positions that are available in those fields. Company websites, O*NET, and the Occupational Outlook Handbook are helpful resources. You must show not only an interest, but also knowledge about the industry.

To learn more about careers in global health, read this guide to public health careers which includes specialties and in-demand skills. Check out 50 Awesome Public Health Jobs (by degree level) and 50 Best Entry-Level Public Health Jobs with NO EXPERIENCE.

Select Resources

  • Watch the webinar, Hot Jobs in Public Health, presented by Association of Schools & Programs of Public Health (ASPPH). ASPPH also provides resources to explore public global health including graduate programs, fellowships, and jobs.
  • Check out our YouTube playlist with several recordings of alums sharing their careers in the global and public health field.
  • The Consortium of Universities for Global Health provides a comprehensive list of resources, job and field placements, journals, and more.

To choose a master’s program, review the Consortium of Universities for Global Health list and ASPPH list of programs. Georgetown University offers multiple global health-related master’s programs in various schools, including the Graduate School of Arts & Sciences, Biomedical Graduate Education, and the School of Foreign Service.

Attend employer information sessions, industry events on- and off-campus, and connect with popular professional organizations regionally and internationally. Most relevant professional associations in global health include American Public Health Association, World Health Professionals Alliance, and Society for Public Health Education. If you are interested in infectious disease, get connected to The American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene and/or International Society for Infectious Diseases. Professional associations host a variety of professional development, educational, and networking events.

Joining groups on LinkedIn related to your industry is a great way to meet new people, find mentors, contacts, and ask questions. Also, reach out to alumni through Hoya Gateway and Georgetown’s alumni page on LinkedIn. Our website provides helpful guidelines on networking and informational interviewing.

Georgetown offers a number of opportunities for Hoyas to get involved. Joining a school club is an excellent way to learn more about the industry, develop your skills, and get hands-on experience. The Global Health Institute on Georgetown’s campus provides coursework, events, and fellowships to help students gain exposure to global health research and careers. Some global health-related clubs include Georgetown University Students for Health and Medical Equity and UNICEF.

Serve communities that lack adequate access to health care globally with GlobeMed and Project RISHI  or regionally with the Center for Social Justice, GU Students for Health and Medical Equity (GUSHME), and UNICEF. Learn about local health issues while giving back to the DC and campus community by volunteering with groups, such as Caring for Children with Cancer, GU Oncology Patient Support, and St. Elizabeth’s Outreach. For more student club information, visit Campus Groups.

Increase your research skills by joining a lab around campus. Georgetown’s Center for Research and Fellowships offers research opportunities during both the academic year and summer months. Participate in research and get published in the Georgetown Scientific Research Journal and/or present your research at the Undergraduate Research Conference. 

On and off-campus jobs are another excellent way to build skills valued by employers.

To better understand what skills you need to highlight on your resume, check out internships, fellowships, and entry-level positions in the behavioral and mental health industry. See our resume and cover letter pages for more tips and advice.

For listings beyond our campus recruiting platform, Handshake, visit Idealist, devex, Global Health Jobs, Public Health Jobs, PublicHealthCareers.org, and 80,000 Hours, and USAJOBS job boards.

  • Government: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention | National Institutes of Health | Food and Drug Administration | USAID | Peace Corps | HHS’s Office of Global Affairs | U.S. Department of State | Top 10 Government Agencies for Public Health Jobs
  • Bilateral/Multilateral Agencies: Pan American Health Organization (PAHO/WHO) | World Bank Group | UNWomen | United Nations Development Programme | United Nations Population Fund | UNAIDS
  • Nonprofit: Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation | Doctors without Borders | Save the Children | | The Carter Center | Global Fund for Women | Center for Reproductive Law and Policy | American Refugee Committee | Kaiser Family Foundation | International Red Cross